From the Library Director

The UAMS Library's management team has been discussing for quite some time the best way to improve the Library's ability to provide much needed educational services. We need to increase the amount of instruction on Ovid and other products and services presently provided by the Library. In addition, we have received many requests for instruction on copyright issues and other topics not yet covered in classes offered by the Library. In order to improve the Library's ability to provide these services, the following changes were made in November, 2001:

1) A new Education Services department was established. Jan Hart, soon to receive her doctorate in Education, is the head of the department. The Learning Resource Center will continue to be one of Jan's responsibilities in this new department.

2) Rena Sheffer, who was formerly in the Information Services and Systems Department, is now the Information Resources Instruction Librarian in the Education Services Department. Her primary responsibilities include teaching Ovid and other classes related to the Library's resources.

3) A Curriculum Support Librarian position was established by combining two vacant staff positions, one in Interlibrary Loan and one in the Administrative Office. The responsibilities of this position include working with faculty in the various colleges to identify and purchase, or subscribe to, educational materials in support of the curriculum, and providing access to educational programs from point-of-care and distributed locations on and off campus. We will begin recruiting a librarian for this position soon.

We anticipate that these changes will result in a significant increase in the Library's ability to provide much needed education services. Please let us know what the Library can do to help meet your educational needs. Jan can be reached at 686-6751 or hartjank@uams.edu.

Mary L. Ryan
Library Director